Overhead traveling crane.



H. SAWYER.

OVERHEAD TRAVELING CRANE.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

APPLICATION FILED APR..14,1909.

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APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1909.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

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Gwinn/@om I www H. SAWYBR.

OVERHEAD TRAVELING CRANE.

APPLICATION HLHD APR.14,1909.

. 944,054. Patented 11110.21, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

H. SAWYER.

OVERHEAD TRAVELING CRANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.14,1909.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SEEBT 4.

C. w cl/nve'miofa HARRY SAWYER, 0F MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

OVERHEAD TRAVELING CRANE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

Application filed April 14, 1909. Serial No. 489,873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HARRY Sawvnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon, State of Michigan, havemade a certain new and useful Invention in Uverhead Traveling Cranes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to overhead traveling cranes, and particularly tothat class which employs both a main hoisting trolley and an auxiliaryhoisting trolle The object of the invention is to provide a constructionof crane wherein the entire strains of the main and auxiliary trolleysare respectively carried on independent girders which are mounted forfree relative vertical vibration but which are braced against relativelateral vibration or movement.

A further object is to provide a construction of crane of the classreferred to which is efficient and compact and which permits readyaccess to the auxiliary trolley.

A further object is to provide a construction of crane of the classreferred to wherein the hoisting cables of the main trolley aresuspended outside the supporting girders but in such manner and relationas not to interfere or to come in contact with the controller cage, andwhich does not impose upon the trolley undue twisting or tipping strainin case the cable on one side or the other should part or give way.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination,location, and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fullyhereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, andfinally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and to the various views andreference signs appearing thereon, Figure l, is a view in side elevationof a traveling crane structure embodying the principles of my invention.Fig. 2, is a top plan View. Fig. 3, is a view in transverse section.Fig. 4, is a detail view in transverse sectionon the line 4, 4, Fig. 5,looking in the direct-ion of the ar1 rows, and showing one form ofconnection between the supporting girders of the main and auxiliarytrolleys, and embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 5, is abroken detail view in section on the line 5, 5,

Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 6, is a viewsimilar to Fig. 4, showing another form of connection embraced withinthe scope of my invention. Fig. 7, is a broken detail view in section onthe line 7, 7, Fig. G, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. S,is a view similar to Figs. 4 and G, showing still another modificationembodying the principles of my invention. l

The same part is designated by the same reference sign wherever itoccurs throughout the several views.

In the drawing, reference sign A, designates supporting girders for thetrack rails B, on which the bridge of the crane travels. The bridgeconsists of the end carriages or frames C, carrying the supportingwheels D, which operate on the track rails B, to shift the crane fromone point to another along the girders A. Any suitably arranged andcontrolled power mechanism may be employed for effecting the shifting ofthe crane bridge. I have shown a motor E for this purpose, said motorbeing carried on a platform F, carried by a supplemental framing, and onwhich framing is also carried the cage G, from which the apparatus maybe controlled. lf desired, and as shown, the supplemental framing andthe platform carried thereby may be sutliciently ottset from the side ofthe adjacent girder of the crane bridge structure to permit the hoistingcables depending or suspended from the corresponding side of the maintrolley, to operate freely therebetween, as will be more fully explainedhereinafter.

lt is obvious that the crane shifting motor as well as the supportingframe therefor, may have any other convenient construction andarrangement without departure from the spirit or scope of my invention.The construction and arrangement shown and described, however, issimple, affords accessibility to the parts, and is efficient for thepurpose.

Supported at their ends upon the bridge carriages C, are the girdersupon which the trolleys are carried. In the form shown, the main trolleyH, is carried on wheels operating on track rails supported by thegirders J, in the usual manner. The main trolley H, carries the usualhoisting drums K, and motor L, the hoisting cables M, being arranged todepend from the drums 'outside of the girders J, as most clearly shownin Figs. 2 and 3, the cable on one side of the main trolley dependingbetween the girder J, on that side of the bridge, and the supplementalframing and platform which carry the drive motor E, as above noted,while this arrangement of the hoisting cables is preferred my inventionas defined in the claims is not to be limited or restricted in thisrespect.

There the hoisting cables are suspended from points outside of thegirders they should be arranged to operate as close to the girders aspossible so as to avoid the danger of tilting or canting the trolleysidewise in case one or the other of the cables should break under thestrain 'of a load thereby imposing the entire weight of the load on thecable at the other side of the trolley. By arranging the cables in themanner described the tilting strain thrown upon the trolley by imposingthe entire weight of the load on the cable at one side is exertedthrough a very short leverage and hence there is very little tendency totilt or cant the trolley sidewise. In order to still further insureagainst any sidewise tilting movement the trolley may be provided withthe brackets N, arranged to engage underneath flanges on the maingirders J, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The auxiliary trolley O, is supported on and operates along track railscarried by the auxiliary girders P, supported at their ends upon thebridge carriages C, and arranged between the main trolley supportinggirders J. The girders J, and P, are of such relative heights that themain trolley readily operates over the auxiliary trolley withoutinterference therewith. As is customary in apparatus of this class thehoisting mechanism of the main trolley is employed, especially in thecase of ladle cranes, to raise the ladle while the hoisting mechanism ofthe auxiliary trolley is employed to engage the ladle and tilt the sameto empty the contents thereof. Of course, the apparatus is well adaptedand designed for other purposes.

In the arrangement of supporting track or rail girders, in accordancewith the principles of my invention, the auxiliary girders P, arearranged inside the main girders J, and quite close to said maingirders. It is important and among the principal objects of myinvention, to provide such a construction and arrangement of girders aswill. permit the supporting girders for the main and auxiliary trolleys,respectively, to deflect or bend under their own respective loadswithout imposing any deflecting load upon the supporting girders of theother trolley. At the same time it is also necessary and important inaccordance with the principles of my invention to provide means forefliciently supporting the main and auxiliary girders against relativelateral movement. In otherI words, I propose, in accordance with myinvention, to provide such a construction and connection of girders forthe main and auxiliary trolleys as will permit relative verticalmovements of said girders, but which will not permit relative lateralmovement thereof. Various constructions of connections between the mainand auxiliary girders may be employed which will accomplish theseobjects and purposes, and I have shown and will now describe variousarrangements embodying this idea, and therefore, as defined in theclaims, my invention is not to be limited or restricted in its broadestscope to any specific construction or arrangement of interconnectionbetween the main and auxiliary girders.

In Figs. 3, 4L, and 5, I have shown one form of connection betweenproximate or adjacent members of the pairs of main and auxiliarygirders, wherein a boxing construction indicated at R, is securelyfastened or bolted to the web of the main girder J, this boxing carryingone or more bolts S, arranged to extend through vertical slots indicatedat T, Fig'. 5, in the web of the adjacent girder P. The collars U, andintermediate sleeve V, on the bolt S, enable the bolt., or, rather, thenut V, thereon to be tightened up without pinching the web of theauxiliary girder through which the bolt passes. The boxing R ispreferably built up of structural steel plates, but the specificconstruction thereof is immaterial, the important thing being to securesuch a connection between the girders J, and P, as will permit saidgirders to deflect vertically independently of each other, withoutpermitting any relative lateral movements thereof, and, consequently,any load imposed upon one of these girders will not defiect or affectthe other as would be the case if the girders were rigidly connectedtogether, in which case an additional load is placed on one girder, byreason of having to take a portion of the load of the other girder,causing an undue tilting or twisting strain to be imposed. Thisobjection is obviated in the construction above described, wherein thegirders are permitted free relative vertical vibration or deflection.same time, however', the girders are efficiently braced, the one to theother, against any lateral vibration, thus forming a secure andefficient structure for the purpose intended. In Figs. 6, and 7, I haveshown a modified construction of interconnection between the adjacentgirders, wherein links A1 are pivotally connected at the respective endsthereof to lugs B1, C1, on the girders l), and J, respectively. In thiscase the pivots of the links should be so constructed as to At thepermit the relative vertical deflection of the girders withoutpermitting relative lateral deflection or movements thereof. In otherwords, suflicient lost motion in the pivotal connections of the linksshould be provided to permit the movements referred to.

In Fig. 8, I have shown another construction of interconnection betweenthe girders embraced within the spirit and scope of my invention whereinmetal flanges D1, El, are secured to the girders J, l, respectively, andthese flanges are provided with vertical clongated slots F1, throughwhich bolts may be passed, thus permitting the relative verticaldeflection of the girders but preventing relative lateral movementsthereof.

In practice, any desired number of interconnecting bolts or links may beemployed, and therefore my invention is not to be limited in thisrespect. It is also obvious that many other forms of interconnectionbetween the adjacent girders may be employed without departure from thespirit and scope of my invention as defined in the claims, the essentialfeature being in this respect the free and independent vert-icaldeflection or movement of the girders without any relative lateralmovement thereof.

By the construction above set forth it is necessary to make only themain girders rigid laterally, and this may be accomplished in thestructure of the girder itself. connection between the main girder andthe auxiliary girder gives sufficient lateral support to the auxiliarygirder to prevent lateral movement thereof, and, consequently, theauxiliary girders may be single web girders with comparatively narrowflanges, thus materially reducing the weight and cost of construction ofthe apparatus without sacricing anything of strength or efficiency,while at the same time permitting ready access to the auxiliary trolley.Moreover, with the cage construction and arrangement together with thesupplementary framing platform for carrying the bridge traversemechanism, and by arranging the hoisting cables to depend outside of themain girders, the main trolley is permitted to travel the full length ofthe girders, without limiting` such travel by the hoisting cablesstriking or coming in contact with the cage or other part.

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and variousconstructions embodying the principles thereof, and having describedsuch constructions and the purpose, function and mode of operationthereof, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A crane having a bridgeincluding main girders and auxiliary girders, a main hoisting trolleymounted upon the main girders, an auxiliary trolley mounted upon theauxiliary girders, and connection between said The main and auxiliarygirders to permit relative vertical deflecting movement, but preventingrelative lateral movement thereof.

2. A crane having a bridge including main and auxiliary girders,arranged in pairs, the auxiliary girders being arranged inside the maingirders, the adjacent members of said pairs respectively havingconnections with each other, said connections permitting relativevertical movement thereof, but preventing relative lateral movement andtrolleys respectively carried by said pairs of girders.

A crane having a bridge including main and auxiliary girders, theauxiliary girders being arranged inside the main girders, and havingconnection thereto to permit relative vertical movement thereof, butpreventing relative lateral movement, main and auxiliary trolleysoperating on the said respective girders, the hoisting cables of themain trolley depending outside of the main girders.

-l. A crane having a bridge including main girders, auxiliary girders, amain hoisting trolley mounted on the main girders, an auxiliary trolleymounted upon the auxiliary girders, the auxiliary girders being mountedbetween the main girders, and means connecting the same to the maingirders, said means permitting` vertical relative deflection of saidgirders, butl preventing relative lateral movements thereof.

5. A crane having a bridge includingmain and auxiliary girders, theauxiliary girders being located intermeiiliate the main girders, meansconnecting each auxiliary girder to the adjacent main girder, said meanspermitting relative vertical deflection of said girders, but preventingrelative lateral movements thereof, a main trolley carried by the maingirders, an auxiliary trolley carried by the auxiliary girders, thehoisting cables of the main girder depending outside of the maingirders, and the hoisting cable of the auxiliary trolley dependingbetween the auxiliary girders.

A crane having a bridge including main and auxiliary girders, eachauxiliary girder being connected to the adjacent main girder to permitrelative vertical deflection, but preventing relative lateral movementsthere.- of, main and auxiliary trolleys operating on said girdersrespectively, and supplementary framing carried by the bridge but offsetfrom said girders, traverse mechanism carried by said supplementalframing, the hoisting cable of the main trolley depending through thespace intermediate the main girders and the supplementary framing.

7. A crane having a bridgeiucluding main and auxiliary girders, meansconnecting said girders to permit relative vertical movement, butpreventing relative lateral movements thereof, a main trolley carried bythe main girders, an auxiliary trolley carried by the auxiliary girders,the auxiliary girders being located between the main gir-ders,Witnesses, on this 3rd day of April A. D., the hoisting Cables of the11min troley de- 1909. pendno outside of the 11m-n Oirders and safetynackets carried by the mn trolley HARRY SAWYER and engaging the maingrders. Htnessesr In testimony whereof I have hereunto set T. C. AKIN,

'my hand in the presence of the subscribing J. L. HAGA.

